Harry Potter and the Return of the Snake
by saichanlovestoad
Summary: Dead fic.Harry accepts a job from Dumbledore and ends up rewriting Hogwarts history. Read the Authors note first, it's important. Rated for language and mild violence. Subject to change later.
1. Seventh Year

A/N- This story was originally created immediately after I finished the sixth book about two years ago. While looking up pictures of twins, however, I rekindled my love for Fred and George and searched to find this story. I instantly fell back in love with it and decided to post it here. I even reread the sixth book so everything was fresh in my mind.

Warnings: I wrote parts of this two years ago. Whatever I wrote then, I have decided to leave as it was. I'll leave notes as to which parts they are. These first two chapters are.

Secondly, I have decided the, for my own sanity, Sirius and Dumbledore didn't really die. Sirius was transported into a far away place and nearly died. Dumbledore... um... I have no real explanation as to how he could've lived, so I'll just say Snape didn't kill him, but fired the shot next to him to please the Death Eaters. As for Draco, you'll see my plans for him.

This story takes place after the sixth book and the summer following. It has been determined that Harry was able to destroy the remaining Horcruxes, save for the one in Voldemort. The war is still going strong. Details will be vague. Duh. That's not my story to tell.

That having been said, I would like to state that none of these characters belong to me. They belong to Rowling. The ideas, however, are mine and I would like to give credit where credit is due: myself two years ago hyped on Mountain Dew and myself now, hyped on Mountain Dew.

I dedicate this story to both my sister, **Kira Kei Jinx**, and my good friend **Dez (whose fanfic name I don't know).**

That's all. Enjoy. Love Sai-Chan. Ps: Reviews are requested if you like what you read.

* * *

Harry Potter had returned from his summer vacation feeling highly anxious. The summer had been a long one, with many incidents that he'd rather not think about. However, he needn't have worried, for he had spent the rest of the summer at the Burrow with his second family, the Weasleys. He would have preferred to spend it with his godfather, his first summer with him, but seeing how his godfather's house was being looked into for the whereabouts of him, he couldn't very well have gone. So, instead, he enjoyed a few fun filled weeks with Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, and his beloved girlfriend Ginny Weasley. Also with them was his godfather, Sirius Black, with whom they all enjoyed hearty laughs about how the Ministry of Magic had failed once more to locate him and arrest him again for a crime he had not committed. 

However, though the summer was enjoyable, it was also short lived. It was shortly after a visit from Bill Weasley and his lovely wife Fleur, that owls arrived to give them their school supply lists. As she had done before, Mrs. Weasley decided to go to Diagon Alley alone to pick up their school supplies. During the time she was gone, Sirius amused them with tales of his younger years at Hogwarts with his closest friends, James Potter, Harry's father, and Remus Lupin, who had been their Defense against the Dark Arts teacher in their third year at Hogwarts.

The next day, it was time to go to London so that they could board the Hogwarts Express that would take them the rest of the way to their wizard and witch school for the seventh and final year of study. With Mrs. Weasley screaming at them to get the trunks in the Ministry provided cars, the four hurried out of the Burrow and into the cars.

" You behave yourself, Harry," Sirius instructed, leaning into the car as Mr. Weasley packed their trunks into the back. Harry smiled, watching as Sirius leaned back and winked, " I'll be sure to write as often as I can,"

" Me too. See you soon," Harry called, looking up at his godfather's loving, grinning face. True Azkaban, the wizard prison that Sirius had been locked up in for twelve years, had stolen most of his good looks, it hadn't stolen that passionate, slightly wicked, gleam from his godfather's dark eyes, " You behave, Sirius,"

" Yeah, right," he said, after a short bark like laugh. Mrs. Weasley shooed Sirius back into the house before anyone else happened upon the Borrow and called the Ministry, " See you later Harry! Be good! Stay safe!!" with that, Mrs. Weasley shut the door behind his back and then bustled back over to the car and climbed into the front seat.

" Really," she exclaimed shrilly, buckling up and making sure none of the children were being left behind. Then, they were off towards the train station where they would board the Hogwarts Express at platform nine and three-quarters. In no time at all, they were there and pulling their heavy chests towards the barrier that separated platforms nine and ten.

" Okay. Let's go by twos again," Mr. Weasley suggested, taking hold of Harry's elbow and leading him towards the barrier. They walked casually towards it, then leaned against it and slipped right through it. Gleaming right in front of Harry was the massive scarlet Hogwarts Express, witches and wizards all around to see off their children.

When the others had come through the barrier, they went up to the train, towards the very back, and searched for a place to put their things. They came to the very last compartment, with had both Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood inside, Neville struggling to keep his toad from escaping again and Luna reading her dad's magazine, the Quibbler. Greeting them, they put up their things and then left to go say good-bye to the Weasleys.

Once they had gotten the usual warnings and such, they all hurried back onto the train. Whereas Hermione and Ron headed off to do their prefect duties, Ginny and Harry headed back to the last compartment where Neville and Luna were still sitting. As they sank down, the train began to move.

" How was your summer?" Neville asked, finally managing to get his toad to behave. Ginny shrugged, but Harry didn't answer. He really didn't want to retell the things he had had to endure over the summer. Before Neville could ask again, however, Luna spoke.

" He father discovered the horrors of toilettrines!" her voice was as distant and dreamy as it had ever been, her eyes still looking as though she was permanently stunned. Ginny and Neville just stared at her, as though wondering if she's hit her head on her way in.

" Do you mean _toilets_?" Harry questioned, giving her a funny look. She roughly shook her head, her long blond hair flying every which way.

" No. _Toilettrines!_ They're dreadful creatures that lurk in the dark corners of one's bathroom. They like to bite people's ankles. I had a nasty run in with one the other day..." Harry stopped listening as she began to describe his incident. Had he not know her for two years, he would have either thought she was crazy or telling the truth. However, he had and thus he knew that there were no such things as toilettrines.

Still, he had to thank her for the interruption.

* * *

At one o clock, the witch who pushed the food cart stopped at their laughing and loud compartment. Everyone got a lot of food, then they resumed their games of Exploding Snap, Wizard Chess, and other such things. It wasn't long before Hermione and Ron came to join them, and then it got even louder. It was so loud, in fact, that two other prefects had to come and tell them they needed to keep it down.

Hours latter, night had fallen and Hermione informed them that they should probably get their things ready to leave. After changing into their school robes, they heaved their trunks and other things down, with much difficultly. From her cage, Harry's owl Hedwig hooted angrily as he accidently banged her cage against the seat for the fifth time.

Not long after they had managed to squeeze all the trunks down, they felt to train slowing to a stop. Ron, closest to the door, pushed it open and they filed outside. It took a few minutes, but then they climbed off.

" Firs' Years! Firs' Years! Over 'Ere!" came the booming voice of Hagrid, the grounds keeper for Hogwarts, Care of Magical Creatures teacher, and a close personal friend of Harry, Ron, and Hermione. He waved to them, before turning to the frightened looking first years who had never seen someone of Hagrid's size. He was twice as tall as any other man and three times as wide. Harry found it as no surprise that they were terrified.

Turning away from Hagrid, they hurried across they small platform to the carriages. Though few could see them, they were draw by winged horses with pale white eyes. Ignoring them, Harry climbed into the carriage. Luna and Neville scampered off to go find another carriage, since they only held four people a piece.

" I can't wait to get there. I'm starving," Ron said once the carriage had started to move. The rest agreed. It would be nice to get up to the warm and toasty castle for the beginning of the year feast that awaited them. Sighing, Harry looked out the window towards the castle that loomed ahead of them.

Hogwarts. It was good to be back, he thought, as he closed his eyes.

The feast began as usual. Everyone, save for the first year students, sat at their house tables ( Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, or Ravenclaw) and began to talk. The noise level grew louder with each pasting minute until the door opened. In came their transfiguration teacher, Professor McGonagall, followed closely by the first year students who were shaking from head to toe. She led them up in front of everyone, got them in a line, and then placed down an old battered hat on a stool. The Sorting Hat. It would decide which student went to what house.

First, however, it broke into song. It sung about the four houses and how important it was for them to stay together through these horrible times. When it had finished, Professor McGonagall took out a roll of parchment.

" When I call your name, please step over to the stool and put the Sorting Hat over your head," she instructed the nervous looking first years. Then the Sorting began, starting with Ariel, Marcus, who was Ravenclaw, and ending with Zummbe, Ashley, who was Slytherin. Once Ashley proudly walked over to the cheering Slytherin table, Professor McGonagall took the stool and Sorting Hat away.

Instantly, the noise level jumped right back up to what it had been and then some. When Professor Dumbledore, the headmaster of the school, rose, however, the noise cut away once more. Harry stared up at the friendly face of Albus Dumbledore, a man who had long since been revered for his amazing power. Though very old, with long white hair and a long white beard, he still had a childlike quality to him.

" Welcome, first years! And welcome back my other students!" he greeted them all, sounding positively amused to be standing there again. Harry, however, caught what sounded like strain on his happy voice, though he appeared to have been the only one to think so, " I would like to remind you that the Forbidden forest is, well, forbidden," everyone laughed. Dumbledore began his usual lecture on what was and what wasn't allowed and so on and so forth. Finally, he drew to a close, " I would also like to inform you that for the first time in many, many years, we do not have any new teachers to introduce,"

Suddenly, all the students looked as though they were scanning the teacher's table. Grinning at all of them was the large Professor Slughorn, who has started teaching Potions the year before. Which meant that Professor Snape, whom Harry hated, was still teaching the Defense Against the Dark Arts class; the first teacher to teach that subject two years in a row for about fifty years or so.

Shock filled the whole room.

" I can't believe it! Snape! Again!" Harry snapped bitterly to Ron and Hermione. Ron didn't look very happy either, though Hermione looked as though she had expected him to stick around. Harry thought he knew what she was thinking, but he didn't get a chance to, because at that exact moment Dumbledore announced that the feast had begun and food appeared on the golden plates in front of them.

" Oh, finally!" Ron exclaimed, grabbing the plate nearest to him and starting to pile food on his own. Everyone in the room seemed to follow in his example, grabbing what they could and starting to eat.

While Harry began to tuck into a plate of mashed potatoes, he glanced back up at the teacher's table. He could have sworn he saw Dumbledore staring directly at him with a very grave look on his face. Before he could make sure, however, Ron started to choke on his food and by the time Hermione had dislodged the food, Dumbledore was talking to Professor McGonagall.

The feast was over in a while and Dumbledore rose to address them once more and then wish them a good nights rest because they had class the next morning. After that, all the students got up and left, heading towards their own dormitories. The prefects lead the way, which meant Harry was left alone with Ginny, holding her hand and wishing they could do more. When they arrived, the prefects, Hermione and Ron, informed everyone that their password was Toadstool and then the portrait of the Fat Lady swung open to reveal to hole that lead to the dormitory.

As Harry began to climb into the hole after Ginny, however, he heard his name being called. Twisting around, he saw Professor McGonagall walking towards him, looking stressed and very worried. When she stopped in front of him, people started to lean out of the portrait hole to see why their Head of House was talking to Harry.

" Yes, Professor?" he asked in a nervous voice, wondering what he could have done in so short a time at Hogwarts. He didn't think he had broken any rules, unless they had made new ones that he wasn't aware of.

" You need to come with me. Professor Dumbledore would like to speak with you... about a matter of grave importance," she informed him, catching him by the elbow and pulling him away. He called to Ginny that he'd be back and then followed her all the way over to the gargoyle that blocked the stairs to the headmaster's office, " Nosebleed Nugget," at once, it sprung to life and jumped to the side.

When Harry walked into the office, he saw that it was exactly as it had been the last time he had been in there. Silver objects lined the walls, portraits of the former headmasters and headmistress' of Hogwarts covering the walls. Standing behind the desk was Professor Dumbledore, who was looking at a piece of paper in his hand.

" Ah, good," he said, smiling, when he looked up and saw that they were standing there, " Minerva, could you please go get him?" she nodded curtly, then left, leaving a confused Harry standing in front of Dumbledore, " You no doubt are wondering why I asked you here so quickly?"

" Um... yes, Professor..." he stuttered, his thoughts leaving what Dumbledore had said to Professor McGonagall and going back to his beginning confusion as to why he had been pulled away from the Gryffindor dormitory.

" Well, there is a... situation brewing that evolves a student at this school and his immediate danger with his House," began Dumbledore, placing down the piece of paper he had been holding since Harry first walked into the room.

At first, Harry had no idea what Dumbledore could mean by a student in danger in their own House at Hogwarts. Then it dawned on him. He meant that there was probably a student amongst the Slytherins whose family wasn't involved with the Dark Lord Voldemort. Ever since the Dark Lord had returned, it seemed that it was becoming clearer and clearer that almost everyone in the Slytherin house had some family connection to him.

" What can I do to help?!" Harry demanded, fresh anger about whatever it was the Slytherins were trying to pull this year. He had never liked anyone from Slytherin, since they were so close to the Dark lord who had killed his parents and they all wanted him dead, but he wanted to help anyone who was in a situation like his.

" We need to have him removed from his House and put into a safer place where he can be guarded. Considering the D.A. a few years ago," he winked at Harry, bringing up the illegal organization that Harry had started in his fifth year to teach other students ways to protect themselves, " I figured you would like the job of befriending and protecting him from his former House,"

" No Slytherin scum will touch him ever again!" Harry declared, before he remembered that not only had Dumbledore not said whether or not it was the Syltherin house the boy in question was trying to escape, but that Dumbledore was a teacher, " Um... I mean, my friends and I would be more then happy to protect and befriend him,"

" Very good. I'm sure he'll be very grateful that you'll protect him from the 'Slytherin Scum' that threaten him," here Dumbledore broke into a kind smile. Harry relaxed, knowing that he understood the outburst, " Now, I've changed his schedule so that he has every class with you. He's in a bit of danger, so please don't leave him alone. I know it's difficult to force a friend on someone, but... he could use some support given his situation,"

" Don't worry sir. I'm sure he won't be any trouble getting to know," he assured him, which caused Dumbledore to smile as he went back to looking at the papers that scattered him desk, " Um... Professor?" Harry said on an afterthought. Dumbledore looked up from the papers he was gathering and putting into a stack, " Who is this boy that we're talking about? What's his name?"

" Oh. Well-," Dumbledore was cut off by a sharp knock on the door and Professor McGonagall announcing that she had come and brought the boy. Smiling tensely over at Harry, Dumbledore called for them to come inside, " Well, I suppose you're about to find out,"

Professor McGonagall stepped in, holding a new set of robes with Gryffindor colors on it. Harry leaned around her, trying to see who it was, but the person quickly ducked behind her again, hurrying over to Dumbledore as if he could hide him or protect him. Harry just grinned to himself, thinking that it was a first year who had heard all the nasty rumors about Harry and was terrified.

" Now, now, don't worry. He won't hurt you," Dumbledore said quickly to the boy as Professor McGonagall pressed her lips so tightly together that they turned completely white, " Here we go," Dumbledore pushed forward the boy and Harry's jaw dropped when he saw who was standing in front of him.

Draco Malfoy.


	2. Banishment

" Malfoy!" Harry exclaimed, one hand automatically going for his wand. Malfoy flinched but didn't reach for his own wand, which stopped Harry even more then Dumbledore raising up his arms for them to behave themselves, " What's he doing here?! I thought he was on Voldemort's side!!" again, Malfoy flinched.

" Draco is on no such side. He has rejoined us," Dumbledore sounded incredibly calm as he stepped over and placed a hand on the trembling Malfoy's shoulder. Harry stared in disbelief at him, then turned his now fiery eyes on Malfoy's pale face.

A gasp escaped Harry's mouth before he could stop it.

Draco Malfoy, Harry's long time rival and enemy, barely resembled the boy he had once been. His white blond hair was lank, dirty, and falling in his gaunt, pale face. Dark circles were under bloodshot and puffy eyes that no longer held the arrogant spark they had glinted with for so many years. He appeared skinny, as if he hadn't eaten in quite a long while. Even his hands were thinner. The familiar grey tinge that had been in Malfoy's skin the year before had grown slightly darker, creating a look of slight death over Malfoy's entire body. His robes, once beautiful and expensive, were torn, worn, and battered. They were ripped around his arms, revealing thin, bony arms, one that bore the Dark Mark. His clothes underneath the robe were just as bad, his pants tore away at his ankles and his shoes falling apart. Dirt covered him and he looked like he needed a bath and was in desperate need of money.

In truth, it appeared that Malfoy had just emerged from a long stay at Azkaban.

" Ma-Malfoy?" he repeated, as though he couldn't believe his eyes; which he couldn't. He stared at Harry with his hollow, sunken eyes, then turned away, as though he would have rather died then let Harry, of all people, see him in such conditions," Wh-what... What happened?"

" Harry, we'll get to that, but first, there are some other things we need to take care of," Professor McGonagall said, placing down the new robes on Dumbledore's desk and leaning over to whisper something to him.

Harry barely realized that she had spoken. He just continued to stare at Malfoy's haggard appearance, wondering if this could possibly be the same boy who has strutted around Hogwarts as if he owned the place and, at the last time Harry had seen him, pointed a wand at Dumbledore's chest and declared that he would kill him. It didn't seem possible that this frail boy had once been the proud and arrogant Draco Malfoy whom Harry had always hated.

Harry almost felt sorry for him.

" Are you listening, Potter?" Professor McGonagall snapped, bringing him back to the real world and away from the pity he was starting to feel for his long time enemy. Tearing his eyes away from Malfoy's appearance, Harry looked now at the annoyed and frustrated Professor, " As I was saying, Malfoy will be sharing a room with you. His bed will be next to yours. He is now a member of the Gryffindor House, and he will be treated as such. Under _no_ means are you to torture him,"

" Yes, ma'am," he answered, glancing back over at Malfoy. He had expected Malfoy's famous sneer, but he only received a blank stare of sorrowful hatred and resentment coupled by deep embarrassment, " I promise I won't do any harm to him... He's a Gryffindor afterall," he tried to sound optimistic, but it had the opposite effect on his voice.

" I'm sure you'll do just fine," Dumbledore commented to the two to them, weaving his fingers together and leaning against his desk, " Now, Minerva, would you be so kind as to escort Mr. Malfoy outside to change? I need a word with Harry, if you don't mind,"

" Not at all, Professor. Come, Draco," she said, holding out her hand and gripping his shoulder. Snatching up his new robes, she led him out the door, which closed behind her, blocking out her voice as she began to give him the rules of his new accommodations.

" Professor! What happened?!" Harry demanded, though his voice was much more shocked then angry or demanding. Dumbledore sighed, taking a seat behind his desk, motioning for Harry to do the same. He dropped down into the chair in front of the desk, " I never imagined I'd see Malfoy in such a way! What happened? I thought he joined the De-,"

" Calm down, Harry. There's a lot to explain. I'm just glad you're not mad anymore that it is Draco who will be joining the Gryffindors," he forced a weak smile, though it appeared that seeing Malfoy in that condition had disturbed him as well, " Now, you can't go back on your promise to protect him from his enemies and befriend him, if you can,"

" I won't! I promised you!" he reminded him, forgetting to be annoyed at being called a liar in his shock, " Please, sir... just tell me what happened to him..."

" Well...first, you must promise that you won't speak of this, not even to Ron and Hermione," Harry nodded in agreement, ready to agree to anything if it gave him an explanation for Malfoy's unbelievable appearance, " Okay then. I shall tell you. It started the day he left Hogwarts, with Professor Snape, who was acting on my orders, as you know. It wasn't long, however, that it became apparent that I wasn't as dead as they would have hoped.

" The Malfoys were ultimately blamed for this. Professor Snape had been forced to leave Malfoy in the care of his mother beforehand to keep up appearances and was on his way back to try and rescue him. What he found was a disaster and no Malfoys around.

" For months, we searched for any sign of the Malfoys. Lucius had disappeared from Azkaban and there had been no sign of him since. Then, after countless failed attempts, the Order found Draco. His parents were no where to be found and he was in worse conditions then death. He was trapped, alone, in a cave, unable to leave and unable to even get up. It was Moody who found him almost dead.

" That was two days ago. Malfoy had spent the last two days traveling here and being fed and well care for. We fear that the Slytherins will turn against him and that he is in danger of the Death Eaters and Voldemort. That's why we came to the decision that he needed to be placed in a safer House because he needs to stay at Hogwarts under my supervision," Dumbledore concluded, closing his eyes and letting a silence settle over them. Harry stared at him for a long while after that, trying to sort out all the things he had just been told.

" And his parents?" he finally choked out, finding it hard to even open his mouth let alone actually talk. Dumbledore shrugged, opening his eyes again, " Oh... well... I promised and I won't tell anyone... and I... he's welcome... with me... I mean," his voice trailed off as he lowered his eyes to his shoes.

For a long, long time, Harry just sat there, thinking about everyone else's reaction, or what he expected them to be, when he showed up in the Gryffindor common room with one of the worse Slytherins at his side in their colors. It was going to be a complete and total outrage, he knew it. No one was going to be sympathetic, no one was going to even understand why he was there in the first place. It was going to be terrible. Absolutely terrible.

A sharp knock came at the door, causing Harry to jump in shock. Dumbledore calmly called 'enter', getting to his feet. Harry too got to his feet, knowing who was going to walk in. Sure enough, Professor McGonagall stepped inside, leading a cleaner, newly clothed Malfoy. Though he looked better, he still appeared very ill and very thin, in Harry's opinion.

" I'm ready to take them back," she informed him, placing down Malfoy's old clothes on the chair Harry had just been sitting in. He walked away from them and over to where Malfoy stood uncomfortably in his new clothes.

" Well then. Good night, Harry. Draco," Dumbledore turned towards Malfoy, who slightly jumped at being addressed by the headmaster, " I do hope you feel better and behave yourself while you stay here. Always know that you're welcome here if you ever feel that you need to talk," he added, folding his hands behind his back.

" Th-tha-thank y-you, Pro-professor," he stuttered to say, his voice feeble and slightly catching in his throat. Then, to everyone's surprise, especially Harry's, Malfoy bowed to Dumbledore, " For giving me th-this chance to pro-prove myself... for letting me come back..."

" Of course, Draco," Dumbledore smiled kindly as Malfoy stood up and wiped his bloodshot eyes on his sleeve, " Now, get these boys to bed. It's well past their bedtime," his voice sounded much happier now as he ushered the three of them out of his office and back towards the Gryffindor common room.

Professor McGonagall walked in front of them, going over the rules again, which neither of them were listening to. Harry kept glancing at Malfoy, unable to believe that he had fallen so far in such a short amount of time. Malfoy, however, stared at his new shoes, which he could barely see because his robes were a little too long on him. Finally, however, he looked up and met Harry's gaze.

The two stared at each other, as if unbelieving that the other was the one standing in front of them. Harry had been so sure that he would be helping a first year that he couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that it was Draco Malfoy instead. And Malfoy looked as though he was in utter disbelief that it was Harry Potter who had offered to help and protect him.

After a moment of just staring at each other, however, Harry forced a smile and held out his hand. Malfoy continued to stare at him.

" Draco Malfoy, welcome to the Gryffindors," he said, his voice a little bit colder and stiffer then he would have hoped it to be. Another minute passed before Malfoy grasped his hand, his grip much weaker then normal.

" Yeah... glad to be here," his voice almost sounded normal, almost sounded sarcastic. He even managed a small smirk, though it fell short of his usual grin. They shook once, then broke the handshake and followed after the still raving Professor McGonagall.

When they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady and had woken her up to give her the password, Professor McGonagall told them that there was a notice already up informing the rest of the Gryffindors that they would be getting a new arrival in need of protection. Then, saying that if they needed her, they knew were to find her, she departed.

" I'd better go in first. Try not to run off," Harry teased, climbing into the portrait hole and emerging on the other side. Everyone was there in the common room, alive with chatter and rumors about who it was and why they had to protect them. When Harry climbed out of the portrait hole, on the other hand, all noise died.

" Have you got 'em?" Ron demanded, rushing over with Hermione and Ginny. He nodded, blocking the entrance to the portrait hole so that no one could rush out and attack Malfoy, " It's a guy right? We need another guy! Look at these first years! All female!"

" What's wrong with that!?" Hermione shrieked, turning her narrowed eyes on him. Before they could start into another one of their famous battles, however, Harry cleared his throat. All eyes were on him again.

" Yes, Ron, he's a guy," Ron did a jig, " And he's a seventh year," instantly, everyone broke into shocked bits of conversation, but stopped when Harry called for their attention, " Now, no one's allowed to give him a hard time, strict orders. Just treat him like he's a Gryffindor and that he always has been. Okay?"

" Why wouldn't we? It's not like it's Malfoy," Ron joked, to the laughter of others. Harry cringed, wishing he hadn't said that, " Go get _him_," he added in a shot at his girlfriend Hermione.

" Okay. I'll be right back," he muttered, climbing back out of the portrait hole and looking around for Malfoy. Luckily, he hadn't wandered off; he was leaning against the wall waiting for Harry, " Okay, come on. Let's get this over with,"

" Thanks, Potter," he sneered, sounding exactly like his old self. At least, he would have if his voice hadn't of shook or sounded so weak. He climbed into the portrait hole, which swung to a close behind him. All the noise died when Harry climbed down.

" Here he is. The new Gryffindor," Harry announced, as Malfoy dropped down and straightened his robes, " Draco Malfoy," absolutely no one said anything. They all just stared at the two as if they expected one of them to suddenly declare this a sick joke and that Malfoy would turn into someone like the Weasley twins that had graduated two years ago.

Neither happened.

" Um... We-welcome?" someone said from the back; probably a first year who didn't know Malfoy's reputation and didn't already loathe and despise him. A few others weakly chorused the same thing, not really sure if they were supposed to but not wanting to be rude.

" What's going on here, Harry?! What's _he_ doing here, the filthy Death Eater!!!" Ron shouted, ignoring the fact that Malfoy was standing right there and now looked positively sick to his stomach, " This _IS_ some kind of trick, right?!"

" No, it's not Ron! Malfoy will be a Gryffindor until we graduate! Now stop being a git about it!" Harry snapped back, grabbing hold of Malfoy's bony arm and pulling him towards the boys bedroom. Before he could go very far, however, the common room exploded in a series of swears and threats at the two of them. He ignored it, half dragging, half pulling Malfoy into their new bedroom.

" That went well..." Malfoy's voice trailed off as he stared at the beds, all of which had trunks in front of them except for his. He didn't say anything, though it looked as though he had just remembered something and it had sucked the sarcasm and wit right out of him. Instead, he slowly walked over to the bed that was now his and sank down on it.

" Don't worry Malfoy... they'll be better by morning..." Harry lied, knowing it could only get worse now. Of course, he knew that Malfoy knew that as well. He just felt like he needed to make this one thing easier on him considering that everything else in his life had been ripped right out from under him, " At least you've got me,"

" What does that matter?!" Malfoy's words and voice were back to being harsh and cold, though he kind of sounded close to tears. Harry drew back, wondering if those were footsteps he heard coming up the stairs, " You don't care what happens to me, Potter! You're only being nice to me because Dumbledore told you to!!!"

" That's not true..." Harry wasn't really sure if it was or not, now that he said it.

" Yes it is, Potter!! You feel sorry for me!! You heard all about how miserable my life is, how poor I am, how my parents abandoned me!!" he jumped to his feet, cheeks flushed red and eyes narrowed dangerously, " You want me to feel better but you don't care!!! None of you will ever care!! I did what I had to do to survive, to save my parents!!! I'm not proud of it!! And now, here I am!! Weak, ill, and in rags!! You see me and you feel sorry!!! Even now in new clothes!! I'm pathetic and you're just looking for a way to rub it in!!"

" That's not true, Malfoy!! It's not pity!!! I want to be your friend!! You need to stop this! We were enemies! We're not anymore!!" Harry tried to grab hold of Malfoy to stop him from storming off, but as soon as he did, he was hit in the face. It didn't hurt much since Malfoy was so weak, though it did come as a surprise.

" You don't want to be my friend!!! No one does!! I'm alone and you like it!!! You like seeing me like this!! Stop pretending to care!!! I was a Death Eater!! You don't care!! You'll never care!!!" he screamed, pulling up his sleeve and shoving the mark of the Dark Lord in his face. Harry stumbled and Malfoy took the chance to shove him backwards, " Stop pretending, Potter!! I don't want your friendship!! I don't want your pity!! I don't need it! I don't need friends!! I'm strong enough on my own!!!"

" No, Malfoy!" Harry grabbed hold of Malfoy's wrist and held on tightly, forgetting he had a wand or magic at all, " You can't do this without friends!!" it was all snapping in his head, what Dumbledore had meant by all this, " You need someone!! I'm here! I know what you're going through!"

" MY PARENTS ABANDONED ME!!! THEY LEFT ME TO DIE!!! HOW IN THE HELL CAN YOU TELL ME THAT YOU KNOW WHAT I'M GOING THROUGH!!!!!!" Malfoy roared, though he did turn back around to face Harry. His knees shook, his pale face even paler. It appeared that yelling that had taken all of his strength, " How could you possibly know? Possibly understand?" tears began to roll down his cheeks as he stumbled and fell to his knees.

" Because Vol- the Dark Lord stole my parents too," he whispered, forgetting that he been enemies with Malofy, that Malfoy had tried to kill Dumbledore, " I know what it's like not to have parents, a home, friends... but I'm here, Draco... I'm your friend..." he embraced Malfoy tightly, allowing him to cry on his shoulder, feeling as though he too was going to cry.

Instead, he just held Malfoy's blond head to his shoulder, not letting him see the rest of the Gryffindor boys standing there, staring in dead shock as Harry held Draco Malfoy like a brother, like a friend, a long lost friend.


	3. The New Gryffindor

A/N- The first part of this chapter was written two years ago. At the second line is where I picked it up again. After that, the chapter is presently written. Again, I'll let you know when a chapter was written two years ago.

* * *

By the time Harry woke up the next day, it appeared that the other boys had informed everyone else about what Malfoy had to say and what had happened the night before. He figured this since no one sneered or glared too bad when he walked out of the bedroom to find Ron.

" Hey, Ron! Hermione!" he called, waving and trooping over to where they were sitting with their heads bowed together as though they were plotting something, " We need to talk. I've got a fav-," he didn't get to finish because at that moment, they both stood up and turned to face him.

" Before you say anything, we need to get a few things straight," Hermione stated in a matter-of-fact voice, Ron nodding along to what she had to say, " One, we want to know the whole story about what is going on, " Ron roughly nodded, " Two, we want to know what happened to Malfoy," again, Ron nodded in agreement, " And three, we want to know what we can do to help him,"

" Eh? When'd we agree on _that_ one, Hermione?! Help him? I say we shove him right into a big pack of Slytherins and let them have their way with him!" Ron declared, sounding rather angry and rude. Hermione glared at him, but Harry knew where he was coming from. Malfoy had always been wicked when it came to the three of them, so he hadn't expected them to be completely willing to accept his friendship.

Still, he wasn't going to go back on his promise on Dumbledore or his one to Malfoy.

" Draco's been through a lot, you guys," Harry began, though he was immediately stopped by a confused Ron.

" Since when did you start calling him Draco?" he demanded, sounding as if Harry calling Malfoy by his name had come as a painful blow to his ego. Harry frowned, as did Hermione, though Harry thought they did it for different reasons.

" Since we became friends, Ron! You don't call friends by their last names!" he snapped, desperate to defend Malfoy as a friend because he wasn't entirely sure how this would turn out. Again, Ron looked personally offended.

" And since when were you friends with Malfoy?!" he barked, glaring at Harry, his ears turning red.

" Since last night, okay?" he wasn't trying to sound mean, but that was how he had come off. Even he knew that, " I'm sorry. Long night. Um... so as I was saying... _Draco_ has been through a lot... but I can't tell you what. I promised Dumbledore I wouldn't tell anyone. And I won't,"

" Always with the promises! Couldn't you just _forget_ to agree so that you could tell us something interesting?!" Ron's voice was back to being playful and sarcastic, so Harry figured that he was trying to get used to the fact that Malfoy was no longer an enemy after all.

" What about the things he told us last year on Voldemort's past? That was certainly interesting!" Hermione declared, also adding for Ron to stop flinching at the Dark Lord's real name.

" Yeah, but this is Malfoy! This is awesome!" he exclaimed, smiling and pointing up the stairs to the boy's bedroom where Malfoy was still sleeping. Both Hermione and Harry glared.

" This is not awesome! It's terrible!" Hermione barked, turning away from his now glowering face and looking at Harry, " What can we do to help him? Is there anything at all?" her voice was kinder when she was speaking to him then it was before.

" Be his friends and protect him from the Slytherins who want him dead?" Harry suggested, hoping he wouldn't be met with too much debate. Instantly, Ron launched into a list of all the wicked deeds that Malfoy had committed against them since their first meeting, trying to prove that he didn't deserve any friends, " Look, Ron! He's faced his demons and he's paid his debt! He's on our side and he needs our help! Are you in?"

" Why can't someone else do it?" he asked, though he did sound defeated. Clearly, hearing Harry defend Malfoy was enough to end their battle about whether he deserved life or death. Hermione hit him and Harry gave him a look. They all knew why it had to be them.

They were to only ones who would protect Malfoy from his enemies.

" Fine! I'll try!" he finally caved, which caused Harry to smile an Hermione to gain a look of satisfaction on her face, " Where is the prat? I mean... Malfoy..."

" He's sleeping. Let's get ready. We need to get down to the Great Hall for breakfast," he added, pulling Ron away from Hermione and up the stairs to their bedrooms, " I'll wake him up. He needs to eat,"

" Yeah... he kind of looks like a starved rat," Ron said in an almost serious voice, looking at where Harry was pulling back the curtains from Malfoy's bed. He shot Ron a death glare, " What? He does..." his voice trailed off as he started to change.

" Draco? Draco? Wake up!" Harry lightly touched Malfoy's arm and instantly he jumped, grey eyes wide open, as though he had been touched with something hot. When he gripped at his left arm, Harry realized where he must have touched.

The Dark Mark.

" Sorry about that, Draco... um... it's time to get ready. We've got class today," he reminded him, standing up and letting Malfoy climb off the bed. For a second, he stared at Ron, who stared back, then he broke the gaze and walked to the edge of his bed.

Over night, a trunk had appeared, along with a note in Dumbledore's handwriting. Glancing once more at Ron, Malfoy picked it up, opened it, and started to read it. Harry put his finger to his lips when Ron opened his mouth to ask what he said. He already knew what it said, what was in that trunk. He was proven right when Malfoy cautiously opened the trunk.

New clothes, new robes, new books, new everything.

" Wow! That all looks expensive!" Ron couldn't contain himself anymore as he rushed over to the trunk with all it's new things inside. Malfoy didn't answer. Instead, he folded up the letter and reached down to touch the closest shirt to see if it was real. When he found that it was, he started grabbing things out of the trunk with a tearful, happy look on his pale, thin face, " Look at these!" Ron said, holding up gorgeous blood red dress robes with the initials DM on the left hand breast.

" Wow, Draco!" Harry congratulated him, holding out a Nimbus 2001 model. It matched the one that must have been destroyed when the Death Eaters came to kill his family, " It all looks so wonderful. Congrats,"

" Yeah... well. Only the best for the best," his voice sounded close to smug, though even Ron caught how it shook with grateful tears. That's when it seemed to click in his head that this gorgeous things weren't Malfoys. They were gifts.

Because Malfoy didn't have anything left of his own.

" Yeah. Best for the best," Harry teased, putting an arm around him and giving him a light squeeze. Ron grinned, still messing with Malfoy's new dress robes, " Welcome back, Draco. Back to the side of the good," he added, smiling down at Malfoy's face.

" Y-yeah..." his voice trailed off as he bite his tongue to stop from crying. Harry grinned, knowing that everything was going to work out just fine with Draco. With everything that they were going to have to face as soon as they left that room.

" Hey, Ron? You mind? I think Draco would like his clothes!" he added, playfully hitting Ron in the arm. Behind them, as Harry knew he would, Malfoy started to cry tears of absolute joy, crying into his brand new Gryffindor robes.

Yes, everything was going to be just fine.

* * *

At least, everything was going to be fine within Harry's little group. Hermione was desperately trying to act as though everything was just fine with Malfoy being there, doing exactly as she'd been told. Ron was curious about the whole ordeal and was pretty good about not gawking as Malfoy hung out in the Gryffindor common room. Ginny was shocked that her brother was being civil more so then she was that the new member to their house was a former Death Eater. And Malfoy himself was too tired and too miserable to give a dime's worth of care where he was, so long as the fire was burning.

When it came to the rest of the Gryffindors, or the rest of the school for that matter, the very idea that this was going on had caused about as much upheaval as when the Death Eaters had broken into the castle last year. Everyone remembered that it'd been Malfoy who'd nearly had their headmaster killed. Everyone remembered that Malfoy had been one of the Death Eaters, those whom aided the Dark Lord who was reeking terror on the rest of the world. Everyone remembered that Malfoy bore the Dark Mark on his left arm. Everyone remembered this and everyone remembered to despise Malfoy.

On their first week of classes, Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas both sent hexes their way in Charms class. When Malfoy grabbed his wand to retaliate, Professor Flitwick squeaked and nearly had a heart attack, saying that if he saw the former Slytherin threatening other students he'd have no choice but to request he be expelled. They all stared in shock at that, even Dean and Seamus.

However, he wasn't the only teacher who was terrified of teaching a 'Death Eater'. In Herbology, Professor Sprout point blank refused to give Malfoy any tools to work on their vicious whipping plant, under the premise that he might attack Ernie Macmillian, who'd splattered his new robes with mud when they arrived. After a long struggle, Malfoy gave up, exclaimed that he didn't care because the robes weren't his to begin with, and sulked over to stand next to the only people not glaring at him.

Professor Slughorn was reluctant to give him a potion to create in Potions. He muttered that he wasn't sure Malfoy should be in that class anymore, considering everything that had happened. When Harry got agitated about it, he hurried to say that what he'd meant was that Malfoy hadn't done so well the year before. With that flimsy excuse, he gave Malfoy a potion that couldn't be turned into poison no matter what was done to it.

In the hallways, teachers seemed to appear out of nowhere whenever the group headed by a classroom. They stared down at him with anger and disgust written clearly on their faces. If they could, they snapped at Malfoy to stop so they could make sure he wasn't doing anything he shouldn't be.

The only teachers they had, it seemed, who didn't care about Malfoy's shady past were Professor McGonagall and Snape. In Transfiguration, she treated everyone the exact same. She instructed them as she would've any other class. The only person who got barked at, in fact, was Dean, for attempting to transfigure Malfoy's things into animals. He was promptly given detention, to the horror of the class, most of whom figured she would let them do whatever they wanted to 'the traitor'. And Snape, as always, gave Harry a much harder time then anyone else. As long as he could leer down his hooked nose at the annoyed Potter boy, he was perfectly fine with having a Death Eater in his class. Of course, that also had to do with the fact that he too was getting glares and such from the very few students who hadn't dropped his class that morning.

Despite all the teachers suddenly wanting to hang a student and the Gryffindors' attempts to run their new roommate out, the worst was what the Slytherins themselves had in store for Malfoy. Blaise Zabini, along with some younger Slytherins whom Harry didn't know, attempted to perform Dark Arts on the group. The only reason they didn't get to perform one of the Unforgivable Curses was because Snape happened to be walking around the corner. As the reestablished Head of Slytherin, the students immediately tried to run off as he came storming down the hall. He slammed all of them with detention, gave Malfoy a look, and commanded Harry to get the four out of his sight before he started deducting points for loitering.

Sitting in the Gryffindor common room after that incident, the four huddled next to the fire, completed exhausted from running around trying to avoid teachers who hated them nowadays. The week had been a complete drain on their systems.

" This is ridiculous! How can so many people be looking for us at the same time! Don't they have places to be!" Ron demanded, kicking at a table in front of the chair he was sunk into. Harry ignored him.

" Ron, be quiet. It's been too long of a week to listen to you recount it," Hermione snapped, opening a book to begin homework. He gave her a disbelieving look, " Would you stop staring at me like I've just gone and sprouted a second head? Why don't you start on your homework from Snape?"

" How can you be thinking of homework at a time like this?!"

" Because, Ronald, our homework isn't going to do itself. Besides, I doubt whether Snape will care for excuses when we don't have his essay done,"

" Harry, can you believe what you're hearing!" Ron turned to him for support. Hermione gave him a stern look. All Harry could do was shrug, " You're useless. Hey! Malfoy! Can _you_ believe what you're hearing?"

" Oh, so you barely say a word to him but you'll beg him to take your side?!" Hermione teased, waving her quill between the two. Malfoy glanced sideways at the two, but said nothing, " Ha. Even _he_ sides with me,"

" How come I'm the only one you ever bother about this stuff? They ain't doing their homework. Pick on them," he jerked away from her. She stuttered for an answer before twisting around and glaring over at where the other two were innocently staring at the fire.

" Well? Why aren't you two doing anything? Get up and get your books, the lot of you," she snapped, jabbing in their direction with her quill. Harry grinned and didn't move an inch. He just exchanged looks with Ron. Malfoy looked back at her, blinked, then got to his feet and walked off towards the dormitory.

" Draco?" Harry questioned, hurrying to his feet and following the boy. He soon found himself in the dormitory, where Malfoy was curled up on his new bed. He'd drawn his robes about his body and was pulling his pillow over his face as though he meant to suffocate himself. A panicked feeling shot through Harry, but then he heard the muffled screaming, " Um... Draco? Are you okay?"

The screaming got louder, Malfoy's knuckles going white as he gripped the edges of the pillow harder and harder, his body actually beginning to shake. Harry drew back, wondering whether someone was actually causing him to do this. Then the screaming cut, Malfoy panted, and let out another scream. It shook a little at the end, then dwindled down to nothing. His hands released the pillow but he left it laying there on his face. Sensing that the fit or whatever it had been was over, Harry stepped over to the bed and took a seat. The pillow moved up an inch, then dropped back down.

" What the hell was that all about?" Harry demanded, removing the pillow with a jerk. Two grey, cold, tired eyes glared back at him. He motioned for an answer.

" You people, Potter. You're so annoying,"

" Oh, thanks, Draco. That's what you have to say to the only people being decent to you?"

" Don't get your panties in a bunch. I didn't mean it that way," Malfoy muttered, rubbing his throat, before sitting up, " I meant, why bitch about those assholes? Why not just hex them back? That's what we always did to each other,"

" Well, Hermione punched you that one time, to be fair," when he said it, he saw a slight pink tinge rise in the other's cheeks, " But that's because you deserved it,"

" Yeah..." Malfoy's voice trailed off as he looked away, almost looking remorseful for all the years of abuse he'd subjugated the three to. Then he sighed, covered his face with his hands, and flopped back against his bed.

Silence fell over the room for a moment. Harry just sat there, not sure what else to say or do. Then he cleared his throat and stood up. Malfoy watched as he did, peaking through his fingers. At first, Harry didn't say anything. He just stood there, staring at the boy who'd been his arch rival for the longest of time. He knew that this boy in front of him was waiting for him to say something, anything. Finally, he just spat it out.

" The reason we don't attack them is because we don't want to get expelled. Everyone thinks you're gonna murder them where they stand. We can't prove them right," he gushed out, reaching into his pocket for his wand in case what he said gave Malfoy ideas on how to react.

" I couldn't kill anyone if I tried,"

" Yeah, I know. I was there... in the tower, I mean,"

" I know,"

All was quiet once more in the room. Then Malfoy pushed his hands onto his face again, moaning and thrashing around on the bed in an attempt to get up. The act was so childish that Harry had to repress a laugh, a voice in the back of his head saying '_and this is the scary Death Eater I'm supposed to fear?'_. When Malfoy got off the bed and began to fuss with his robes, it dawned on Harry that he was still waiting for him to say something. A couple seconds went by before a light went off in his brain.

" Draco," he said sharply, causing those eyes to look up at him in question, " You're a prat, you know that?"

" Excuse me, Potter?"

" You've been here a bloody week and not once have you insulted us. Frankly, I'm offended. Are we so beneath you that you don't even have to make fun of our clothes or hair or habits? You're a real git, you know that?" Harry hissed in a playful voice, crossing his arms over his chest. Malfoy arched his eyebrow, then grinned close to how he used to.

" I didn't think it was worth my time, Potter. I'd talk myself hoarse trying to cover all the bases in this pitiful excuse of a hell hole," he answered, waving his hand at the dormitory with an arrogant air.

" You're just getting lazy is all,"

" Me? Never, Potter," Malfoy strutted pass him, but paused in the doorway. He twisted around just slightly, " Was I really that bad? Ba-back then, I mean?"

Harry didn't answer right away. Since he'd met Malfoy all those years ago, he'd been bombarded with trouble. There was the rumors spread to Rita Skeeter and the near execution of Buckbeak. Then there were the problems with the Chamber of Secrets and the Triwizard Tournament pins. He'd dealt with hexes, duels, fake duels, the prefect duties, the Inquisitorial Squad, the attacks on Ron and Katie Bell, and so much more. He'd been set against him in Potions, Dueling Classes, as Seekers at Quidditch, and the Dark Arts. There'd been the occasions during the Quidditch World Cup, the things the year before, the detentions like those in their first year involving Norbert the dragon. All this, and more, coupled with the fact the Malfoy had tried to kill Dumbledore a couple months ago. In all honesty, he thought Malfoy really was that bad.

" Only in your head, you prat," Harry said instead, walking over and draping an arm around Malfoy's shoulders. He got a similar grin to the one he'd received for years, " Only in your head,"

* * *

Side Note: What Malfoy is doing is screaming into his pillow. It's what I do when I'm really frustrated about something or if I'm pissed off. I wrap myself up so I feel real hot and I scream into my pillow and push it over my face to muffle the sound. The heat makes it feel as though the anger is around me, not in me, so it's easier to let it out. The screaming just gets the feelings out. It also expells my breath so I feel lightheaded when I'm done. That way when I get up, I'm cold and lightheaded. Makes it easier to get over the anger because then I'm more focused on letting myself breathe and warm up.

It's my puesdo theraptic way of making myself calm. Works wonders on me, so I decided to use it as a way for Malfoy to get rid of his frustrations now that he isn't allowed to hex anyone.

Keep your eyes open for the upcoming chapters.

That's all. Sai-Chan.


End file.
